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Theory and SocietyAims and scopeSubmit manuscript

• Jordan P. Beck, 
• Zachary Patterson & 
• Samuel Wilson 

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Abstract

Recent years have witnessed many strong claims that ‘diversity’ leads to more original and impactful science, which is a science-focused form of what we call “The Diversity Hypothesis.” However, what evidence supports the claim that diversity enhances scientific output or impact? This pre-registered rapid scoping review seeks to collate and evaluate the scientific evidence for the Diversity Hypothesis as a foundation for future, methodologically rigorous studies that address the Diversity Hypothesis. Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute approach and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), a systematic search of three electronic databases (Web of Science, Scopus, and Ovid PsycInfo) was performed. The Mixed Methods Assessment Tool was used for quality appraisal of included articles. Studies were included if they were peer-reviewed, empirical studies that satisfied the population (‘scientists or scientific teams/labs’), concept (‘diversity of scientists or scientific teams/labs’), context (‘scientific productivity or impact’) as well as other inclusion criteria. In total, 104 articles were included and their findings pertaining to the relationship between diversity and scientific productivity and impact analysed. We estimate that only between 15% and 28% of results reported in these articles are unambiguously consistent with the Diversity Hypothesis, with the balance not being so. Overall, the results indicate that there is little empirical evidence that diversity, as defined narrowly by demographic or identity diversity, improves scientific output and impact. Despite claims that evidence for the Diversity Hypothesis is unambiguous, the results of this scoping review suggest that, presently, this broad conclusion is unsubstantiated and that more nuanced propositions pertaining to the types and effects of diversity be advanced and enacted in the context of scientific claims, funding, and policy-making.